House of Folk Art

Dec 8

Matt has been raised on canes since he was ten years old, and now he is passing the tradition down by raising his own kids on folk art canes too. From snake wrapped handles to fully carved masterpieces, he walks through some of the best walking sticks in the collection and ends by seeing if Kai can spot the most valuable cane in the room. Throughout the episode he breaks down the difference between a simple carved handle and a true tip to top cane, why certain carvings reveal themselves only under good light, and how collectors can easily overlook the best details when a cane is sitting across a room. Matt gives a full tutorial on what makes a cane great, what makes one just decent, and why a few of these pieces are among the best in the entire folk art world. The episode builds toward two key moments for anyone interested in folk art canes and walking stick collecting. Matt first reveals a top tier 1904 carved cane, a true tip to top masterpiece that he considers one of the best examples of American folk art carving he has ever handled. He then moves into an Antiques Roadshow style appraisal session where he breaks down insurance values, auction estimates, and his own real world offers on several antique canes. Along the way he explains how to identify Mexican folk art canes by the eagle, snake, and cactus motif, how to recognize the hand of a single carver across multiple sticks, and how collectors can display and decorate with canes in their own homes. This episode offers one of Matt’s most in depth looks at folk art canes and why he has collected them for so long. Raising canes takes on an entirely new meaning in this one. Chapters 00:00 | Introducing the Cane Collection and Matt’s Early Start in Folk Art 01:20 | The Red Painted Hand Cane and the Skeleton Bone Cane 04:21 | Hidden Details on the Cat and Snake Cane 05:57 | The Florida Alligator Cane 08:34 | The Natural Root Cane with Folded Hands 10:13 | A Rare Cabinet Card Featuring a Basket and Walking Stick 11:58 | Comparing a Mid Level Cane to a Tremendous Cane 16:26 | Introducing the 1904 Cane and Why It Stands Out 22:04 | What the Carver Might Say if Canes Could Speak 23:45 | Insurance Values, Auction Estimates, and High End Cane Collecting 27:57 | How to Identify Mexican Folk Art Canes 32:00 | Discovering a Carver Through Matching Umbrella Canes 36:39 | The Contemporary Lee Reese Cane from Salem South Carolina 40:46 | How a Cane Grows 42:52 | Decorating with Folk Art Canes at Home 44:03 | Asking a Young Collector to Choose the Most Valuable Cane When the last cane goes back on the table, Matt is reminded how much history can live inside a simple piece of wood. The anonymous carvers of the early 1900s, the regional styles, and the newer makers like Lee Reese all show how folk art canes evolve while still holding on to their roots. Do you know a folk artist or have a picking story worth sharing houseoffolkart@gmail.com (919) 410 8002 Leave your name and where you are from and you might hear yourself on the next episode. Follow @houseoffolkart for more stories, adventures, and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.

Nov 24

Matt sits down with his dad, the infamous Wade Ledbetter, inside the auction gallery for a story Wade admits might be risky to even share. What starts as a quiet memory from rural Alamance County quickly turns into a mystery about a ten foot clock, a fifty thousand dollar offer from Henry Ford’s museum team, and a farmhouse fire that erased everything. Wade takes Matt back to the days when he delivered milk to the Krauss family and explains why the story of that clock stayed with him for more than fifty years. That secret leads Matt to share a story of his own. At twenty five, he walked into a house in Virginia that changed everything for him as a picker. A house filled with museum tagged antiques, rare crystal, first edition books, and paintings he was not yet experienced enough to understand. It was the pick of a lifetime, the kind that teaches you more in a day than years of picking can. Two stories from two Ledbetters. One about a clock that vanished. One about a house that should never have been lost. 00:00 | Wade Introduces the Krauss Family and the Mysterious Clock 06:40 | Henry Ford’s Buyers and the Fifty Thousand Dollar Offer 13:50 | The House Fire, the Surviving Clock Weight, and Wade’s Milk Route 18:50 | Why Wade Believes the Clock Story Still Matters 25:30 | Wade’s Attic Finds and Early Picking Lessons 29:01 | Wade’s Unexpected Friendship with Mickey Mantle 38:28 | Matt Heads North and Walks Into a Once in a Lifetime House 45:20 | The Crystal, Paintings, and Museum Tagged Pieces Inside Phil’s Home 52:00 | Matt’s Big Scores and the Things He Missed 58:20 | Phil Passes Away and the House Is Emptied 01:00:40 | Closing Thoughts with Matt and Wade As the conversation winds down, Matt and Wade reflect on the stories that shape a picker’s life. From a vanished Alamance County clock to the house that launched Matt’s career, these moments remind us that the best finds are often the ones you cannot plan for. Every attic, every basement, and every back road has a secret waiting on the other side of the door. Do you know a folk artist or have a picking story worth sharing houseoffolkart@gmail.com (919) 410 8002 Leave your name and where you are from and you might hear yourself on the next episode. Follow @houseoffolkart for more stories, field trips, and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com

Nov 10

Matt and Kyle sit down after two full days of picking at the Liberty Antiques Festival in Liberty, North Carolina. Surrounded by their finds, they go through the haul piece by piece, from rare signed North Carolina pottery and 19th-century paintings to a pristine Benny Carter saw. The conversation dives into the stories behind the buys, the lessons learned from years on the road, and the excitement that comes with finding something special in a sea of booths. From showcase surprises to pottery discoveries, this episode captures the rhythm and reward of a good show weekend. Chapters 00:00 | Let’s get ready to go through the Liberty haul 04:54 | Matt reflects on first trips to Liberty and twenty years of picking 07:17 | The showcase buy and how to think through bulk deals 09:10 | Pottery finds at Liberty 14:41 | The mini painted basket 16:37 | 19th-century gilt frame paintings 19:37 | The $90 oval portrait 29:48 | Benny Carter painted saw and birdhouse 34:35 | Back to the showcase treasures and collecting small finds 48:28 | Reflections on Liberty and looking ahead 50:47 | Send in your folky stories As the conversation wraps, Matt and Kyle look ahead to the next round of shows and auctions, reflecting on what makes Liberty so unique. From pottery and paintings to showcase treasures, the episode reminds us that every object has a story and every picker has a tale worth telling. Watch the Dealer Setup Day vlog titled “Day 1 at Liberty Antique Festival | Quilts, Baskets, and a Ghost Table” now on the House of Folk Art channel. The second Liberty vlog will be released next Monday and will feature many of the items discussed in this episode. Do you know a folk artist? Send in your folky stories: 📧 houseoffolkart@gmail.com 📞 (919) 410-8002 Leave your name and where you’re from, and you might get a shoutout on the next podcast. Follow @houseoffolkart for more behind-the-scenes stories and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.

Oct 27

Matt and Sully sit down inside the Griffith Fine Art Museum at Red Oak Brewery to explore where fine art and folk art meet. Surrounded by a collection of American Impressionist paintings from the late 1800s, they talk about the crossover between high-end galleries and the handmade traditions that define Southern craftsmanship. What starts as a laid-back conversation over a Hummingbird Golden Lager quickly turns into a mix of history, humor, and collecting philosophy. Matt shares stories about his early days picking with his father, his time at auctioneering school, and how the lessons of the field still guide his work today. Sully brings up Liberty Antiques Festival, walking stick rivalries, and the fine line between a good buy and a mistake that costs you $900. From pottery and furniture to NFTs, the conversation reminds us that every object has a story, whether it’s hanging in a museum or hidden in a barn. Chapters: 00:00 | Welcome to Red Oak Brewery 06:48 | Has Sully Been Practicing His Bid Calling? Matt Reflects on Auction School and Early Success 09:17 | Who’s Coming to Liberty Tomorrow? 16:15 | Crypto Tales, NFTs, and Auction Adventures 20:50 | Big Buys and the Art of the Auction 30:51 | Matt Recalls One of the Best Tables He Ever Picked 40:08 | Game Day Predictions for Liberty 51:03 | One of the Last Liberty Antiques Festivals 59:56 | Our First Calls to the Folk Art Hotline As the conversation wraps, Matt and Sully raise a final glass to Red Oak for having us into their gallery and to everyone keeping art alive. Whether it’s a face jug, a walking stick, or a miniature chair, every handmade object carries a story worth telling. Do you know a folk artist? Send in your folky stories: 📧 houseoffolkart@gmail.com 📞 (919) 410-8002 Leave your name and where you’re from, and you might just get a shoutout on the next podcast. Follow @houseoffolkart for more behind-the-scenes stories and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.

Oct 13

Matt and Mike Smith sit down inside the Griffith Fine Art Museum at Red Oak Brewery to talk about the wild early days of Southern folk art and the collectors who helped define it. What begins as a casual visit quickly turns into a deep dive into Mike’s decades-long journey from salesman to documentarian, capturing the rise of self-taught art across the Southeast. Mike shares how he met artists like Benny Carter, James Harold Jennings, and Howard Finster, and what it was like to ride with Carter through the backroads of North Carolina with a revolver on the dash and a cooler full of copperheads in the back. He recalls photographing artists in their homes, quitting his day job after a single conversation with Finster, and how those early trips shaped the entire field of outsider art. Matt and Mike talk about the collectors who kept the movement alive and the growing problem of fake pieces appearing in auctions. They compare real works to counterfeits, share tips on spotting authenticity, and reflect on how folk art has changed as the next generation starts to collect. Sully joins at the end to ask a few behind-the-scenes questions about Mike’s photography and how he built trust with artists before taking a single shot. Chapters: 00:00 | Welcome to the Griffith Fine Art Museum at Red Oak 05:26 | Giving Mike His Flowers 09:09 | Benny and Mike Take New York 15:07 | Meeting James Harold Jennings 20:19 | Fearrington Folk Art Show Preview 25:49 | The Discovery of Tom Fiddler 30:20 | Why Folk Artists Create 35:40 | So Bad It’s Good 40:41 | The Fake Art Problem 50:45 | Spotting Benny Carter Fakes 55:01 | Time for a Red Oak 59:50 | The Best Time to Buy Art 1:04:46 | Sully’s Closing Questions As the conversation winds down, Matt and Mike look back on the people who made this community what it is today. The stories of Benny Carter, Mose Tolliver, and Howard Finster remind them that folk art has always been about more than sales or recognition. It’s about the spark that makes someone pick up a brush, carve a block of wood, or turn everyday life into something worth remembering. The next great folk artist is probably out there right now, carving, painting, or welding in quiet determination, waiting for someone like Mike Smith to stop by with a camera and a story to tell. Follow @houseoffolkart for more behind-the-scenes stories and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.

Sep 29

Matt and Kyle take a deep dive into Kentucky folk artist Carl McKenzie (1905-1998), examining his colorful cut-wood sculptures that inspired a generation of collectors. From the Daniel Boone Trading Post to Larry Hackley's legendary collection, they explore how McKenzie's simple two-by-four constructions with movable arms captured the essence of Kentucky mountain life. The episode takes a personal turn when Matt reveals his secret identity as the "Gibsonville Highway 61 Miniature Chair Maker," showcasing 24 Willie Massey-inspired chairs he created over three months before mysteriously losing the creative drive. The conversation explores the psychological challenges of folk art creation, from Charles Archer's inability to carve stone anymore to Matt's fear of trying to recreate his own work. They compare McKenzie's $150-300 pieces to Edgar Tolson's $17,000 carvings, discuss the difference between cut wood and carved wood, and examine why collectors need multiple pieces to build a case for an artist's legitimacy. Plus: Benny Carter banjo poetry about the House of Blues, football hit sticks as contemporary folk art, and a heated basket controversy that's got one collector sending angry midnight texts. What you'll learn: Carl McKenzie's evolution from retirement to prolific Kentucky folk artist Why cut-wood sculptures require different appreciation than carved pieces The psychological "bite" that drives folk artists and when it disappears How to distinguish 1940s paint from contemporary work The House of Blues connection to folk art and Dan Aykroyd's vision Why Edgar Tolson commands $17,000+ while McKenzie stays under $500 Follow @houseoffolkart and call the new folk art hotline if you have Carl McKenzie stories to share. Chapters: 00:00 | Carl McKenzie introduction and House of Folk Art t-shirts 02:25 | Kentucky Folk Art – Carl McKenzie's colorful cut-wood sculptures 04:39 | Cut vs Carved – understanding the difference in folk art construction 07:15 | Larry Hackley's Collection – seeing 80 McKenzie pieces together 09:24 | Artist Inspiration Sources – imagining McKenzie's creative process 14:22 | Discovery Stories – 1970s art dealers finding porch carvers 16:18 | Collection Building – why you need multiple pieces for legitimacy 19:01 | Edgar Tolson Comparison – $17,000 museum-quality vs $300 attainable 25:17 | The Creative Bite – how folk art inspiration strikes and disappears 31:09 | Living Artists Today – shake the right tree and find 20 artists 34:12 | Fearrington Folk Art Show– the next generation of self-taught artists 37:56 | Willie Massey Influence – miniature chairs and thick paint globs 41:51 | The Gibsonville Chair Maker Revealed – Matt's secret folk art identity 46:35 | Creative Struggles – why Matt stopped making chairs for 3 years 53:28 | Anonymous $30,000 Cane – high-relief carving and folk art pricing 56:58 | Football Hit Sticks – contemporary folk art meets youth sports 1:00:06 | Benny Carter Banjo Poetry – House of Blues tributes and misspellings 1:06:42 | House of Blues Tour – Dan Aykroyd's folk art restaurant empire 1:08:20 | Struggling Artist Reality – Benny's "last beer" dealer meeting The next Carl McKenzie is out there right now, selling $15 pieces and waiting to be discovered.

Sep 15

Matt sits down with his father Wade Ledbetter, the legendary picker whose exploits have become House of Folk Art folklore. From walking to school with a .22 rifle to sleeping with shotguns in dangerous hotel rooms, Wade shares raw stories from the golden age of picking when there was no internet, no cell phones, and pickers ruled the auction house circuit. The conversation covers Wade's transition from insurance salesman to full-time picker, the electric atmosphere at John Lambert's Mebane auction house, and the legendary finds that made other pickers rich while Wade and Matt struggled. Hear about the John Singer Sargent discovery, and the William Merritt Chase painting that sold for $750,000. The episode concludes with an intensive salt glaze pottery lesson as Matt prepares Sully for Liberty Antique Festival. Learn to distinguish Timothy Boggs drips from contemporary pieces, understand why N. Fox is better than H. Fox, and discover how 1800s potters shared techniques and stamps. From canning jar forms to dramatic alkaline glazes, this is your crash course in Piedmont North Carolina pottery. What you'll learn: The dangerous reality of 1990s picking trips and cheap hotel rooms How auction house time slots sold for $500 during the golden era The picking partnership dynamics and money-splitting rules Salt glaze vs alkaline glaze pottery identification tips Why signed pottery commands premium prices and which potters to seek The collaborative nature of 19th-century pottery production Follow @houseoffolkart and get ready for Liberty – but don't buy junk or Matt will hit it with a baseball bat. Chapters: 00:00 | Wade Ledbetter introduction and school rifle stories 00:31 | Early Picking Days – insurance sales to antique partnerships 02:58 | Dangerous Hotel Stories – shotguns, strangers, and picking safety 07:45 | The Golden Auction Era – Mebane's electric atmosphere and picker competition 11:07 | Pottery Cycles – why Thomas Richie now costs $200 instead of $1,200 13:54 | The "Sconion" Mystery – Brigg's auction chant vocabulary 16:00 | Picking Partnership Rules – money splitting and gas tank protocols 19:39 | Benny Carter Encounter – meeting the artist before he became famous 21:38 | Real Picker Philosophy – why you must sell the best to survive 26:27 | Mickey's Magic – Confederate soldier images and $12,000 sugar chests 29:27 | The John Singer Sargent Story – Wade's million-dollar discovery expectations 31:01 | William Merritt Chase Revelation – $750,000 hammer at Mebane auction 33:39 | Sex and Pottery – Wade's controversial pottery wheel advice 34:17 | Salt Glaze Masterclass Begins – preparing Sully for Liberty shopping 35:08 | Timothy Boggs Identification – dramatic drips and canning jar forms 39:00 | Piedmont vs Alkaline Glaze – brown salt glaze vs green western NC pottery 42:28 | Signature Hierarchy – why N. Fox beats H. Fox and potter collaboration secrets

Sep 1

Matt and Sully kick off with some international flair as Sully shares his folk art discoveries from Poland and Denmark – including a mysterious pottery piece that might be 200 years old and a painting on board he snagged for five bucks in Copenhagen. The conversation flows from European finds to the economics of American pottery, exploring how glass factories nearly killed traditional potters until they pivoted to decorative and tourist pieces. Matt breaks down the Burlon Craig timeline and explains why Reinhart family face jugs are rarer than Edgefield pottery, while a surprise call from Matt's dad confirms a $5,500 Reinhart sale. From ancient Greek Dionysus vessels to contemporary Nova Scotia carvings, this episode traces folk art's universal human appeal across cultures and millennia. Whether you're fascinated by Polish religious carvings, Egyptian miniatures, or North Carolina pottery traditions, you'll discover that the impulse to create art with your hands knows no borders or time periods. What you'll learn: - How European thrift shops and flea markets compare to American picking - The transition from utilitarian to decorative pottery in the early 1900s - Why Burlon Craig represents the last generation of traditional NC potters - The ancient origins of face jugs in Greek and Egyptian cultures - How tourism saved American pottery makers from extinction - The universal patterns that connect folk art across all cultures Chapters: 00:00 | Intro and European folk art preview 02:13 | European Finds – Sully's Denmark and Poland discoveries 05:08 | Polish Pottery Mystery – dating a potentially ancient piece 08:06 | Haggling Across Borders – international picking stories 09:15 | European Folk Art Museum Tour – Polish religious carvings and paintings 15:10 | Universal Art Forms – why dragons and faces appear everywhere 19:04 | Polish Folk Art Analysis – academic vs self-taught European work 25:01 | Ancient Face Jugs – 2,500-year-old Greek pottery discoveries 26:58 | Face Jug Philosophy – why humans naturally create faces in art 31:06 | Pottery Economics – how glass factories changed everything 32:09 | Dad's Phone Call – $5,500 Reinhart face jug sale confirmation 34:00 | Burlon Craig Timeline – the last utilitarian potter's transition 36:07 | Regional Collecting – North Carolina pottery population math 47:16 | Hickory Pottery Festival – navigating overwhelming choices 50:24 | Nova Scotia Connection – living folk artists from our northern neighbors 53:08 | Universal Folk Art – why every culture creates the same forms 54:04 | Regional Picking Hotspots – Shenandoah Valley and Northeast treasures 58:28 | Salem Pottery History – fish jugs and $100,000 turtle flasks 1:02:03 | Collecting Strategy – starting regional then branching out 1:03:41 | Future Episodes – Kyle's collection, West Virginia pottery, and t-shirt plans 1:06:00 | Future Episodes – Kyle's collection, West Virginia pottery, and t-shirt plans The world is full of folk art – you just have to know where to look. Follow @houseoffolkart and check upcoming auctions at LedbetterAuctions.com. Folk art isn't just American – it's human!